Automatic sprinkler.



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/N VEN To@ P ATENTED Dm. 18, 1906.

J. H DIXON AUTOMATIC SPRINKLBR.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 2,;901. l

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J. H. DIXON AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER. APPLICATION FILED DB0. z-. 1'901.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906..'

Application filed December 2, 1901. Serial No. 84,451.

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` Beit k'nown that I, Jol-1N H. DIXON, of thel city of Pittsburg, countyof Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a full,

had to the accom anying drawings, forming .l

part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly broken away, of a sprinkler system embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a diagrammatic view of the distributing system. Fig. 3 is a top planview of the sprinkler-head. Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, ofthe head and attachments with one 1of the valves opened. Fig. 5 is adetail view showing the tially as hereinafter described, and pointed outin the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings the `:uiumeral 1 represents a supply-tank;f2, a standity of branch pipes 2. M/ i.

3 is a by-pass pipe tapped into the pipe 2 below the bottom of the tankand extending over and within thelatter.

4 indicates a steam connection connection.

6 represents 'lire-engine couplings of a branch pipe 7, whichis providedwith checkvalves 7 the pi pc 7 being designed to extend to the exteriorof the building. ,n

The upper end of the pipe 2 is closed by a cord attachment which Iprefer to employ i valve 14, to which is connected a cord 13,

and the locking devices in connectionl therewith. showing the cordarrangement. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the tank-valve, and Fig. 11is a diagrammatic plan view showing another coupling system.

My invention relates to theclass of vsprinklers commonly usedv for thepurpose of extinguishing fires in buildings and is applicable to the twosystems known, respectively, as the wet and dryf systems, the formerbeing a system in lwhich the water is carried in the distributing-pi cat all times and the latter a system in wliich the water is held back.by air-pressure against an inlet-valve until such time as the pressurehas been released.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel form of sprinkler havinone or more outlet-openings, together wit i a valve or valvescontrolling the openings, and a fusible to the use of steam as an linkarranged to open the valve or valves when melted.

My invention also provides a sprinklerhead which is not affected by heatacting directlyupon the heads and which may be used. in connection withpipes which also serve fthe pi es of a steam-heating system.

It a so provides'a head which is applicable consists in the novelconstruction, arrange- Figs. 6, 7, 8; and 9 are further views iextlnguishmg mehaving a weight 13 at its lower end which is normallyprevented from opening thevalve by means of a latch device 12 12. Thelatch member 12 is controlled by a weight 10 on an extension-cord 1 1,having branches-9 extending through the dil`erent parts ofA thebuildving, Ythe arrangement being such that any slack in the cords 9will cause the weight 10 yto release the latch 12 12', thereby freeingthe weight 13 and opening the valve 14.

My improved sprinkler-head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is provided withtwo or more outlet-openings ypointing in different directions and closedby means of valves 21. Connected to each valve is an arm 21, whichnormally supports the valve in closed position by means of itsengagement with a hinged brace'22, which engages the arm 21 and also theportion 13 of the head. This hinged brace is supported by a link orhanger short arm 1 6 of a lever 16, pivoted to the arm 17 of the head.Each lever 16 is normally held in the position'shown at the right-handside of Fig. 3 by means of a fusible link 15. 1S represents deilectors,which are arranged opposite the respective outlet-openings of the head.

Resting on the portion 18 f the head and normally held bypins 2O on theshort arms of the lever 16 is a triangular catch 19, to which a cord 9is connected. These cords,

as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, may-extend over/ T65 eyes or pulleys 24,carried by clamps 24, screwed to the branch pipes of the distribntingsystem.

ment, and combination of parts, all substan-V l pipe leading therefromand havinga plural- 6o clear, and exact descriptlon, reference being l5,' la pump 65 .25, which is secured at its upper4 end in the ICO Theoperation is as follows: When any one Y of the fusible links issubjected to an abnormal temperature, it fuses and causes-the lever 16to tilt into the position shovvn at the left-hand side of Fig. 3. Thisreleases the jointed brace 22, and thereby the valve 21. The movement ofthe lever 16 also releases the catch 19, as shown in Fig. 9, whichpermits the Weight 10 to release the latch 12 12', and thereby cause.the valve 14 to o en. The extinguishing fluid enters the distri utingsystem and unseats the valve 21, which 'drops to the floor.

The' above is descriptive of the operation of the dryJ system. Where theWet system is employed, it is only necessary .to maintain the valve 14in an open position. This valve 14 is set in a cage 142, as shown inFig. 1.0, and is designed to work freely in said against the valveseat14 while Water cage -is eing pumped into the tank through the stand-pipe2. This valve is not supposed to act when steam is admitted into t epipes for heating or extinguishing purposes, in

such cases the by-pass 3 being used. The check-valve 3 in this pipeprevents the Water siphoning back into the system from any.

cause.1

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 11 a quadruple valve-head is employed,there being four outletopenings at ninety degrees apart. The valves forthese openings may be operated by a similar arrangement to that shown inFigs. 3 and 4 for the double head, a lever 16 With'its adjuncts beingemploved foreach valve.

eeaeee gle sprinkler-head having a plurality, of discharge-outlets,valves controlling said outlets, and a series of fusible links, one.connected to each valve of the head and arranged to open it when fused;substantially as de scribed.

3. `In automatic sprinkler systems, a head having a side exit, 'afusible link at one side of the su ply-pipe and laterally separated fromthe li trolled by the link, and a deilector between the valve and thelink; substantially as described. i

ead, a valve for the opening con-v 4. In automatic sprinkler systems, ia

s rinkler-head having a plurality of disc ar e-o enings pointinglaterally in differ irec ions, a series of fusible links, onev entbeyond and in the direction of each openin land connections `betweeneach fusible lin arranged to open the valve When-the link is fused;substantially as described. f

JOHN H. DIXON. Vitnesses:

WILLIAM C. HIGGINS, O. B. PAINE.

